Third-grade teacher Kristen Stone played an instrumental role in helping Tanglewood Elementary School in Lumberton earn its status as an Honor School of Excellence. Using hands-on techniques, small- and large-group instruction, and other effective teaching strategies, Ms. Stone has helped her students achieve significant achievement gains, typically scoring above the county's average. She leads reading groups in activities that illustrate the stories they read; for example, when reading a story that included a tea party, her students dressed up, organized a tea party and acted out the story. A National Board Certified teacher, Ms. Stone is the grade-level chair for the third grade, and is actively involved in coordinating staff development opportunities for the school. When students in need of special help are assigned to her class, she meets with parents, resource teachers, in-house tutors and administrators to develop a personal education plan for the student, closely monitoring progress with observations, in-house assessments, and benchmark testing. Such dedication to every student makes Kristen Stone an excellent teacher worth honoring.
